In Your Own Time
by The-Black-Alice
Summary: When Dean and Sam find themselves against a Chimera they find only an enchanted sword can kill it. With some help from Cas, Dean travels back in search of the famed sword, Excalibur. But when they find they have arrived too early they enlist the help of an undercover Warlock and soon-to-be king who may have more in common with them than meets the eye.
1. Chapter 1

"Urgh, I'm never going to get used to that" Dean hurled bending over, cupping his knees for support. His head spun wild at the floor below him as he struggled to regain his balance. "Where are we?" His partner donned in an old trench-coat dreamily looked to the sky before quietly surveying their surroundings.

"Albion"

"Albion?" Dean huffed before standing tall, "I thought we were heading to Camelot?" Thin wood enclosed them both; on the horizon greeted a colossal castle adorned in morning light.

Cracking of branch under foot sent them spinning as a pair of blue wide eyes stared back. Short dark hair lightly brushed over his pale shock-stricken face.

"You..?" the mouth lolled as it tried to form words. They watched helplessly as the gears in the boys' head turned, trying to find a way to process what he had just witnessed.

"Oh crap" Dean hissed, searching for some plausible excuse for their sudden unexplained arrival.

Dean growled through grit teeth as the boy scrambled towards them in a desperate rush. Reflexively grabbing his knife in defence, before quickly reminding himself he was dealing with a human.

"You can't be here, someone will see you" the boy hushed yanking Dean by the elbow,

"What?" Dean hissed as he was dragged behind in tow.

"Just follow me!"

xxxxx

"Here!" Sam smiled breathlessly at his computer screen as Dean took another sip from his beer can. After only hours of research their hotel room had already become littered with paper and books; fruitless attempts at solving their latest case.

"Great, what is it?" Dean rose from his seat to shadow his brother, reading the page over his shoulder.

"Chimera; ancient Greek mythology" Dean cringed at the symbols and images on the page, the largest depicted a three headed beast of Lion, goat and snake carved in a bronze dish.

"Greek? Then what the hell is it doing in Wyoming?" Four hours driving had his eyes struggle for focus. With the palm of his hand he rubbed his them free of the glare of the screen.

"Migrated? I don't know"

"Then how do we kill it?" Sam scrolled the page, skimming with the very little Greek he had studied before joining Dean in hunting.

"Uhhh, says here, only an enchanted sword can kill a Chimera" Sam muttered incredulously at the website, beginning to doubt its credibility and his Greek.

"Enchanted? Enchanted like magic?" Dean blurted, annoyed at the heavy complications this job had suddenly undertaken.

"Enchanted, as in, engulfed by dragons' fire" Sam retorted in a flat smile.

"Dragons' fire?" Dean echoed, taking a deep swig of his beer, "Is there anything else we can use? Salt, steel, ram horn, jellyfish tongue, something?"

"Jellyfish don't have tongues" Dean glared at him as Sam returned to his laptop, "Steel will burn but other than that…"

Dean hacked an exacerbated sigh before taking notice the new entity that had silently appeared the room.

"Any ideas Cas?" The third party had placed himself at the end of one of the untouched motel beds; of course 'party' wasn't the right word for the dark faced, motionless sack. "Cas? Hey!" Dean violently waved a hand in front of his face before Castiel finally seemed to realise where he was.

"Enchanted swords, what do you know?" Cas's thick eyebrows pinched together in thought.

"I know only of one" he talked to the floor, folding his fingers together "Excalibur"

"Excalibur? Like the one King Arthur, Excalibur?" Dean bit his lip, nodding slowly, he had heard of more impossible solutions, "Alright, then how do we get it?"

"It was tossed at the edge of Avalon, and is now guarded in the treasury of heaven…" he sat back on the bed before finally looking up at Dean, "I can't go there"

"Plan B?" Silence filled the space as Sam went back to the keys on his laptop, pausing at the Google results which offered not much help. His mind reeled with reports and photos of the victims that hung the walls around them. They had to act quickly, four people were already dead and a handful more had claimed sightings.

"What if we took it and gave it back?" his thoughts had effortlessly slipped off his tongue only to be sneered at by his older brother.

"What? You mean go back and take it from freaking King Arthur? Imagine that conversation! 'Excuse me; may we borrow your sword? Who us? Oh, we want to kill a three-headed monster in the freaking future!' Sam are you nuts?" Sam nodded as he tried to picture the scene, before shrugging indifferently,

"We've done it before" Dean mindlessly scratched his chin, he couldn't argue with that. They had jumped more lifetimes than Dean could count. Visiting their mom, talking his dad into buying the Impala and even to a future where Lucifer was wearing Sam like a cheap suit.

"What do you think Cas?" the growl licked at Cas's spine, making him twitch a little. It was a hard sensation to explain because even he wasn't sure what it meant.

"It's possible but…"

"But?" Cas sighed, squaring his shoulders of the invisible weight on them; of letting Dean down.

"My power is vastly depleted," his voice grim in dark thought before looking at them both in turn, "I can only take one of you"


	2. Chapter 2

"Please, sit down" Merlin beamed as he offered the chairs sat at table covered in herbs and spice, kneading bowls and copper pots. His pale face smeared in dirt as he carried the various roots he had been picking for Gaius to the shelves, "Are you a part of the Druids?"

"Druids?"

"A ring of magic practitioners" Cas whispered, his tone hung somewhat patronizing in Dean's ear.

"Magic?" he hissed, staring between at Cas and Merlin, "Oh, Come on!" Merlin returned to them, offering clay cups laced with the fresh picked roots.

"Wherever you're from, you must not practise magic here, Uther, the king will see you hanged for such practise-"

"Uther?" Cas squinted at the boy who took the seat opposite, who nodded slowly in response, "Not Arthur?" Merlin meekly smirked at them both. Politely, like they had both told an enormously bad joke.

"Arthur? No, he is the prince-"

"So you are?" Dean sat forward in his chair, catching a whiff of the brew under his nose, almost had him blind.

"Oh, sorry!" forgetting himself, he wiped a hand down his mud slicked shirt before offering it to Dean; "I'm Merlin, the prince's manservant" he smiled nervously at them both.

Dean lifted his head, questions hanging from his tongue as a shy knock came at the door. Dean reached for the inside of his jacket as Merlin carefully held a slender finger to his mouth as he went for the door. Wary eyes followed him as the door cracked open ajar. Relaxed shoulders confirmed the intruder was trusted as it opened for the young woman.

Dean swung back on his chair to catch a glimpse; she was a beauty. Chocolate brown hair pinned back tight curls dressed in flowers which encompassed her doe-like eyes.

"Merlin? Arthur's looking for you"

"Duty calls," he cocked his head to the side, "Loud and obnoxious prat that he is" he muttered under his breath.

"I know you don't mean that…" she grinned, catching the sight of the two men sat at Gaius's table. Dean waved a hand from over Merlin's shoulder; his best half-smile reserved for the girls he met at the bar plastered his face.

"Dean"

"Gwenivere" she called back, her coy smile betraying her interest. Merlin's gaze bounced between them, caught between the staring contest and wedged himself outside, ducking a head back in. Arthur would be furious if Druids were discovered here and he would see them off with a smile if he knew they had taken interest in his beloved.

"Stay here" he said before firmly shutting the door.

Cas stared at Dean, who continued to wave as the door closed, perhaps something was wrong with his vassal, something burned through him. Almost like a sense of anger, yes, very much like anger.

"What?" Dean shrugged as Cas looked away.

His vassal, Jimmy, had been acting strange for some time, stirring emotions, strong ones that Cas found difficult to block. He had only thought about visiting the Winchesters before realising he had appeared before them without intending to. He mused it as sentimental attachment lingering from Jimmy's soul; regardless it made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"It seems we have come too early" Cas's deep voice bounced off the silence that had blanketed the room.

"What?" Dean grimaced at the stirring the cup in front of him, swearing he could see ants floating in it.

"Arthur is not king, therefore we can assume he does not yet possess Excalibur"

"Great" he murmured sliding the cup away from him, "Now what?"

"I'm not sure, but we must return in tomorrow evening, otherwise the window of time will close" Dean looked out of the window behind them, surmising it was somewhere around noon already.

"And?"

"And we will be stuck here" Dean rubbed his hands over his face, this trip was almost identical to visiting Samuel Colt, he had almost missed that deadline and he wouldn't like to try it again.

"And that guy, Merlin?" Dean thrust a thumb towards the door, "He's…"

"Yes, the one you have read about. A very powerful" Cas nodded, as Dean mouthed a sarcastic 'wow'

"But I thought he was…" he waved a hand under his chin, willing his beard to grow longer, the other pulled upwards to make his hair stand on end. Cas frowned at the sight.

"Not all your history books are accurate, in fact the larger majority -"

"But he could help us, right?" Cas took his cup in hand, crushing some of the root into dust between two fingers. Familiar voices rampant in his mind, of small talk shared while watching the humans run loose on Earth.

"In this time, magic is banned by law of their tyrant king. Any sorcerers are burnt at the steak if they are caught" he shot a sharp glare at Dean, his voice harsh in his throat, "Dean, we have disrupted the flow of time, we cannot afford to change their destiny" he paused, changing his focus to the door Merlin had closed behind him, "If Merlin dies, so does the future of Alibion"

"So… Let me get this straight, a find magical sword, don't get caught using any angel juice, don't let Merlin get caught or die and have it all done by tomorrow? Sounds like fun"

"Merlin! Merlin!" an angry stomping voice rang outside, growing loud behind the door "Mer- Oh," a blonde man burst forth into the room as it fell dead, "You two, have you seen my manservant?" Dean raised an eyebrow at him; he was much stronger contrast to the lanky Merlin. Pride emanated off his red and gold clothing, not unlike those bastard angels, Balthazar and Uriel.

"No, your highness" a gravelled voice came from beside him as Cas bowed his head in respect. Dean pursed his lips as he looked back at the blonde man again, a chiselled smirk licking the corners of his mouth.

"Highness?" he uttered incredulously, "So you're…?" he could feel a small chuckle of scepticism shuffle from the back of his throat, "But you're just a kid!" This was _the Arthur_, Knights of the Round Table, most famous king of history?

"I am Prince Arthur of Camelot and you should address me as such," Arthur's eyes scrutinized him, studying him up and down. "Do I know you?"

"I doubt that" Dean chuckled dryly.

"Well then, since you are new, a piece of advice," he sneered, "You'd better show me some respect or I should see you to the stocks for insubordination" Dean couldn't help himself as his laugh echoed between them. The guy was a prized peacock, flaunting himself with nothing to show for it.

"Dean…" Cas warned as the prince's expression turned dark by his bruised pride.

"Oh come on! This guy! Is supposed to be the great king of Camelot, with the whole freaking shebang?" he laughed as he stood from his chair and smacked the Prince hard on the shoulder, "You've _got_ to be kidding me!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Cas, help!" Dean muttered as flying pieces of food smacked his head, smearing tomatoes and rotten eggs across his face. The angel stood motionless at his side, watching the smiles of the crowd before them hurling basketfuls of foul foods at Dean.

"I cannot, my power is-"

"I know, just undo the lock!" he howled as more tomatoes flew at him, greasing his hair. He tried to duck away, retreating but the bolts held him tight.

"I don't have the key" Dean growled at him. An unnecessary act leaving him a little lost, he had tried to warn Dean to not provoke the prince. For it was true Arthur was famed for his just and kind nature, but that was only after he had been made king. Dean arms flailed about in the stocks, immobile in their clamp.

"I know Cas, just do _something!_"

"Here!"Reappearing out of nowhere, keys in hand, Merlin attended to the locks. Relief spawned Dean's chest as a few groans filled the crowded air. One more rotten egg smacked his hair for good measure.

"Thanks" Merlin wasn't sure if the man was speaking to him, or the kid who had the last throw. Showered in various vegetables and fruit, Merlin smiled cheekily, it was nice to see it on someone other than himself face the punishment.

"He's a royal prat" Merlin's words held only carried playful insult. Dean stood up, the strain in his back tightened in defiance. Gripping his wrists he rubbed them free of the invisible constraints that had bound them for the last few hours,

"More like a royal dick"

"Won't you get in trouble for disobeying your Master?" Cas said firmly, his concern almost seemed genuine masking his curiosity.

"He's gone for a hunt, and hopefully will be in a better mood when he returns" Merlin muttered sneaking the keys under his tunic for safe measure, he'd make sure to put those back in the drawer before Arthur came back.

"In that case we need your help" Dean placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder, taking note of his really thin frame, it was hard to believe such a tiny body could house so much power, "What do know about Chimera?"

"Chimera? Never heard of it" Dean dropped his head in frustration before meeting him in the eye again. Dean wasn't a bad looking guy, a little rough, like he hadn't slept in a really long time. Although judging by the weight of his hand gripping his shoulder, lack of sleep wasn't a hindrance. Someone like him would befit a knight, perhaps even enough to rival Arthur.

"Of course you haven't" he whispered sardonically, "Do you know where we can do some research, some old books?" Merlin's eyes crinkled at the sides, as he looked at them both. A strange request as it was they seemed serious enough to warrant an honest answer.

"Geoffrey, the court historian, he should have something that might help" Dean slapped his hand on Merlin's shoulder, beaming,

"Well then, great! Lead the way Gandalf!"

"Who?" Merlin squinted back at Dean who rubbed dripping tomato juice from his eye.

"Nevermind"

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The clop of hooves on approaching horses alerted the courtyard as hurried men in red scrambled off their steeds. A sea of Pendragon red capes swarmed together and they hoisted off one of their men draped over his horse.

Merlin watched the mob, counting on a pair of eyes he couldn't find amongst them.

"Arthur? Arthur!" Merlin screamed, bounding down the staircase towards the scene. One of the men, an older knight intercepted his grasp, "Gwaine, let me go!" he howled, trying to clamber past the weighted grasp. Gwaine didn't fight him back; instead he lulled him in his arms, hushing orders to calm himself.

"Merlin! Merlin! Send for Gaius, go!" he threw him back before tending to their fallen comrade. Merlin stood helpless amongst then before bounding. Dean and Cas watched on, abandoned at the castle doorstep, as Merlin disappeared into the crowd that had formed around them. Squeezing past and rebounding through every person who stood in his way. The mighty eight that had rode in, took their prince over the shoulder and carried him through.

The knights bowed out as they retreated to inform the king upon their arrival. The royal bedchambers housed the large four poster bed that now cradled the prince in his unconscious slumber. His shoulder seeped into the sheets, staining them a deep red.

Merlin raced around them both like a jackrabbit, grabbing a bucket and a clean wipe. Taking a bold seat beside the bed, he waved his hand over the bucket reciting a language that reminded Dean of drunken variation of Enochian. Water swelled in the bucket as Merlin twisted the fabric in it before laying it to rest on the prince's forehead.

"Cas can you?" Dean offered a hand to the pair, between the two them it felt like nobody else existed. Cas shook his head sharply.

"There is nothing I can do" this is how it was meant to be, interfering wasn't an option, "Besides, he is well taken care of" Dean followed the jutted chin, Merlin cooed Arthur in his ear as he dabbed the cloth over his face. Dean's face dropped in surprise, Cas called it first.

Merlin raised his right hand hestiantly over the wounded shoulder,

"Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle" Flecks of gold clouded his iris as the blood swam back under the skin, moans escaped through tired lips as the wound pulled together like a zip.

"I thought you said he couldn't use magic" Dean hissed at Cas, there was nobody but the four of them in the royal chambers. Only one warranted concern was the one unconscious, "…You'll be killed if he catches you doin' that" he whispered to Merlin who had returned to quietly dabbing Arthur's brow.

"I trust him with my life" he muttered, concern strangled his voice, "I would do anything to save him, even if it means putting my life at risk" he gazed at Arthur through a pain-filled cringe, cursing himself for not being by his side, "You can't tell me you don't have someone like that, that you would give everything for, even your life" Dean stared, taken aback by the lanky man's outburst. Dropping his gaze to the floor, he swallowed hard.

"No actually, I can think of three" Cas turned to him, head cocking to one side in concern Dean's cheeks flushed as he shuffled between his feet, "Sorry"

Cas was never one for reading human expressions, he was often baffled by the complexity of human courtesies and compassion but if he had to guess, Dean was embarrassed. Either that, or nauseas. Hunting had often put his life at risk; he had sacrificed so much for his fellow man, brother and Bobby. He received no thanks, nor did he seek after it. Together they had shared much pain and suffering. Sam, Bobby and…

"Cas?"

"Gaius!" Merlin flew out of his chair beside the prince as an elderly gentleman shuffled into the room. A wrinkled hand patted Merlins' shoulder as it tried to offer some condolence.

"Merlin, what happened?" eyes flicked over his shoulder to the two unfamiliar men shadowing the end of the bed, donned in foreign clothing in colours and textures of the likes Gaius had never seen, "Who're you?"Dean opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it as Merlin vigorously shook his head behind the old man's' shoulder.

"They are my friends" Merlin stuttered, wedging himself between them, guiding Gaius back to the fallen prince behind him. The door flew open with a slam a second time Dean beamed as the young maiden strode in, her hands covering her mouth as she caught sight of the bed.

"Arthur! Arthur!" Taking no notice of Dean, she kneeled at the prince's side, clasping his hand in desperation. Pensive, Merlin slunk to the wall beside them; anguish written well in his face.

"Merlin, fetch me some Wolfs bane" Gaius called as he went for his leather satchel he had brought upon his arrival. Wordlessly Merlin obeyed, bowing out of sight seemingly not fast enough.

Dean nudged Cas in the arm, nodding between the lady Gwenivere and Arthur,

"Now ain't that a sight" Cas hadn't a clue but strangely it brought a bitter-sweet taste to his tongue, it was clear from the girls affections she cared deeply for the man but beyond that, "Too bad for Merlin" Cas scrunched his face in total bewilderment.

"What are you implying?" Maybe he sensed the scene had something to do with Merlin, but what that was Cas couldn't see it. As fast as he had left, Merlin returned clasping a small purple vile.

"Will he be alright Gaius?" he murmured breathlessly as he handed it over. Gaius rolled his eyes back at Merlin.

"You should know" Relief swelled Merlin's heart. His cross to bear was always be his saving grace, for himself and Arthur. Regardless of how much hurt it caused when he had to lie or let someone else take the credit, he would never be sorry for it. With that he shuffled back, allowing Gaius to return to his work in soothing the scar.

"Isn't it difficult for you?" Merlin remembered to breathe as the man in the strange coat glanced at him. Merlin caught his glance, his cobalt eyes pierced into his, in search of something.

"What?" he hushed as Cas turned to the resting body, Merlin followed his chest hitching as Gwen caressed a thumb over Arthur's cheek, his hand closely intertwined in hers.

"I think I understand"

"I don't know what you're talking about" Merlin muttered back at him, Cas frowned. Maybe Dean had been wrong after all.


	4. Chapter 4

The room stood still in those few moments, Gwen fawned over Arthur's sleeping body as the others looked on, feigning ignorance at the sight. It was a familiar feeling for Merlin, to the point where it had him almost numb; only an echo of the sting the sight had once carried for him. The man in the trench coat had claimed to understand, whether it was this feeling or the situation, Merlin wondered, how in God's name could he possibly understand something like this?

Small coughs battled for breath as eyelashes fluttered on the Prince's cheek. Cries of joy and relief filled the space as Merlin bit back some of the tears that tried to surface. As if to time, the door swung open for a fourth occasion to reveal the King himself crossing the threshold.

"Arthur" His coat flew like crows wings while he hastened to his side, "What happened to you?" Gwen retreated behind Morgana who had followed in close tow behind her lord. Worried looks shared between them as they stood watching the young man who struggled to sit up.

"It was a beast with the head of a goat, and lion" he shifted, patting his aching shoulder "It attacked us, but it would not die"

"But you did wound it?" heaving a heavy sigh Arthur shook his head.

"Swords scarred it like burns but no matter how we pierced it…" his words coughed out, exhausted by the air they used for weight. The king patted his back, a warm, mild comfort as much as a king could offer with an audience.

"It was a Chimera" Dean's voice cut through the haze of whispers in the room, stepping into the candlelight. Turning away from his son, Uther sat still to stare at this stranger who he had not noticed upon his entrance.

"Who is this person?"

"He's uhh…" Merlin jumped forward, bowing quickly before glancing back at Dean, thinking of a plausible pretence for his appearance, "A hunter, your highness, skilled in killing strange creatures" Dean held back, impressed. Basically, he had hit the nail on the head, just missing a few minor, rather important details, "…and his apprentice" Merlin motioned towards Cas. _Now his story is a little more complicated. _

"And you have a method for killing this monster?" addressing Dean, Uther's apprehensive stare made him a little uneasy, it reminded him a little of Sam in a white suit.

"Not yet, but we are working on it…" the royal court met him in the eyes reminding him of just whom he was speaking to, "…Sire"

"Father I shall slay this beast, without such help" Arthur waved a hand, a signal that they were to leave. A hand that quickly returned to clasping his wound; gasping between grit teeth.

"'Such help'?" Dean scowled as a pointed finger singled his prey, "That's it I'm gunna kick his ass" a bony elbow jabbed his ribs as he doubled over, winded. It had been quick, hard and a complete shock to his system. A warning reminder for such threats, even the relatively empty ones, was considered a form of treason.

"Sleep, my son" a leathered hand brushed his Arthur's hair from his sweat-sopped face, his head lolled giving into the heaviness of his sleep-deprived eyes, "Gaius, what do we know about such a beast?"

"Nothing sire, but I will look into the records" Uther nodded at his old friend before returning to the two strangers in bizarre clothing.

"You two shall go with Gaius. You are dismissed, all of you"

The thick door refused to be shut as Merlin pushed desperately at it. With all he could muster he leaned his weight in and it closed with a rumble. Geoffrey had retired for the night, so the four were left with their own devices and unanswered questions.

"Merlin! Whose are these two, really?" Gaius shot a long finger at Dean and Cas, who stood impressed at the extent of the book collection the court held. _Bobby would have a field day in here, probably make copies and stash em' for the winter_

Merlin stepped between them; he seemed to be doing that a lot recently. Cas couldn't help but wonder if not for the Arthurian legends, Merlin didn't get enough of his earlier history on record. Upon impression of meeting that young boy, he found willingness to help complete strangers if all for naught, Cas knew a couple of humans just as well.

"Like I said, they are my friends-"Gaius pulled him in close, searching for the lie in his words. Becoming more aware Merlin was getting better at telling false truths than half ones.

"They doubt who we are" Cas muttered to Dean while the other two took to hushed tones to one another.

"Are they druids?" Merlin cringed, seemingly desperate for Gaius to take him at his word and be done with it.

"We can't tell them Cas, they'll think we're nuts" sideways glances between the two parties carried strong suspicion of the other, apprehensive of the unspoken trust they had so willingly given the other.

"What other choice do we have?" Cas's deep voice was doused in tedious annoyance.

"No, no, they're like me but…" Taking a bold step forward the whispered discussion came to a halt.

"I'm an angel of the lord" he said flatly, as if that was enough to explain everything. Dean rubbed his face in both palms, rolling his eyes in irritation, "My name is Castiel"

"Right, and you as well?"

"Me? No, I'm human… But from the year 2012" his smiled modestly, a light chuckle rolling off his tongue "The name's Dean"

"Merlin, did you find them in the forest?" Merlin nodded slowly, Gaius took his silence as affirmation, "By any chance, did you eat the mushrooms growing around the Oaks?" Merlin switched his glance between the two of them, looking for the tell-tale signs.

"What? No, we're not high!" sneering, Dean fumbled about in his pockets "We can prove it, just –", he hadn't brought much in the spurred choice of being transported through time, "Here, cell phone, take a look. We use it to call and talk to people over long distances" Gaius accepted the small object, turning it over in his hands.

"A transfigured rock, I've never seen any of the like! Merlin you brought sorcerers here!"

"No, no! Look we were fighting a Chimera back in our time and we need a sword, an enchanted sword to kill it" snatching the phone back he replaced it in his pocket.

"Embellished by dragons' fire" Cas chimed in, relaxing his shoulders. Dean sat down on the only table in the room, on the corner that wasn't lost in the tide of books and paper.

"Yeah and if we kill it now, it won't be around in our time"

"A paradox…" Gaius muttered, as Dean's eyebrows pinched together.

"Sure, let's go with that"

"There might be something here" Gaius went for the older leather bound books on one of the higher shelves. He brought it to the table as Dean was shoved out of the way. The large book bounced off the table, dust gusting from it pages.

"So you believe us?"

"Well, I am a man of science, and science tells us some things can never, and will never be explained" brushing the pages, Gaius skimmed the various pale colours of flesh and begotten creatures.

"So I can take that as a yes?" Thunder rumbled outside as a flash painted the bookshelves. A pair of black shadows hung over Cas's shoulders carving those of a large bird in mid-flight. Merlin closed his wide open mouth as he met the man's sad eyes.

"Yes, you can"

A few hours had them all pouring over lost and forgotten languages, most of them laid in old folktales of the land. Some spoke of half fish, half man, other of centaurs and fairies. Dean smirked at them; they were just like a kid's story book if not for the blood-wrenched monsters they depicted.

"Here!" Merlin called, jabbing at one of the pages laid in front of him. Gaius stood behind as he peered over his gold moon-shaped spectacles.

"…And such a beast can only kneel at that of an enchanted sword…" Merlin read aloud before slumping back into the wooden chair.

"How many enchanted swords do you have?" Dean hushed closing the enormous book in front of him.

"None that I'm aware of" The three chatted amongst themselves as Merlin stood from his seat, thrusting the chair screeching behind him.

"Keep searching, I'll fetch us some food"

"Great I'm starving!" Dean clapped his hands together, rubbing them feverishly. Merlin thoughts echoed Arthur as he looked at Dean, his expression sharing similar quirks, smile half-piqued that reached his eyes. It was a familiar look, often given when Merlin presented his lunch to him, or when Merlin had done something stupid like tripping over his own feet, or when he wore the hideous feathered hat "Hey, do you pie in this time?"

Merlin squinted at him; clearly he wasn't accustomed to the food. Pies, pastries and such were reserved for nobility, and others were home-made by farmer's wives who had grown the ingredients themselves. Hunith had made one blueberry pie in a summer of his youth; the taste of nostalgia plagued his tongue.

"I'll see what the kitchen's have" Merlin muttered, pulling the heavy door to a close. Demanding, idiot, clotpoles. Really, the parallels between the two were starting to become uncanny.

_A distant descendant perhaps?_

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Fire's light bounced in the dark hall as he descended the stairs into the unforeseen abyss. Holding his torch high he waited on the platform overhanging the sudden drop below Camelot that bent and rose with stalagmite and stalactite alike. Wide beating wings blew like a storm as the large golden tinged beast settled before him.

"Ah young warlock, it has been some time" straddling the boulder before him the great Dragon settled on his perch.

"What do you know of time travellers?" he called into the darkness . The dragon shivered as he folded his claws in front of them.

"Rare, and powerful but who…?" Merlin waved his torch curiously into the dragon's face, looking for some sort of emotion through his eyes, but as usual they fell cold in gold glimmer.

"Castiel. He says he's an angel…. Is that possible?"

"Unusual ,but not impossible. Angels are beings that rarely involve themselves with human affairs. Why has he come?"

"To slay a Chimera, but to do that we need an enchanted sword…" Merlin called, his word trailing off.

"Indeed, the Chimera are an ancient creature, born many centuries ago. They will not be easy to kill" his claws spread to grip his stance, "What do you ask of me?"

"If I present a sword, will you enchant it?"

"I believe you have asked this of me before, and you failed to heed my instructions" the words bellowed in on a growl. Merlin cringed, regretting his ignorance of the forewarnings.

"We need it, this Chimera threatens us and it threatens the angel and his friend in their time" The dragon's neck bent low into Merlin,

"Why do you care for them?"

"I'm not sure myself really, but" he shrugged as he thought back to the angel, he had felt no anger in his gaze, only the knowing of sadness, "All I know is, Arthur will be killed if I don't find one"

"Well then, I suggest you go and retrieve the sword I embellished" Merlin nodded quickly as he edged away, "But remember, Arthur must be the one to wield it, under no circumstances must it fall into another's hands, do you understand?"

"Thank you"

"Merlin," he turned back at the call, for some reason or another, the great Dragon's voice was a hard one to ignore at the best of times, "Be wary of that angel, he may be speaking the truth but his true motives are questionable"


	5. Chapter 5

"Dude, where's the pie?" Dean called as Merlin stormed back into the otherwise quiet room, breathless from his run.

"Didn't have any, but I know where we can find a sword"

They ventured out hours before dawn, the sky piqued with lighter hues of blue. Cas reminded himself of their impending deadline as Merlin swerved between the thick underbrush's of the forest floor. Dean ducked between braches calling out to the party ahead every now and again to remind them they had been walking for a while and ask when they would reach their destination.

"Here?"They came upon a lake, pulled close by huge mountains salted in light snow.

"In there." Merlin gestured to the deep murky green water, caked with scum on its aged mirror-like surface.

"This day just keeps getting better and…"Dean pulled away from his mouthing reflection to find Merlin who had taken to tugging at his shirt and neckerchief, "Wait woah, why are you stripping?"

"We have to go after it" Merlin proceeded to throw his chemise to the floor, quickly going for his shoes.

"Alright, calm down poindexter you stay here, I'll go find it" Dean waved his hand over Merlin, his other face firmly planted on his own face, "Just, put your clothes back on!"

"I'm stronger than I look!" Merlin stood up, his chest puffed out to make him look more like, well , like Arthur, whose training had him well-shaped. Merlin was sure mucking out the horses and running up the and down the stairs each day had made him stronger since coming to Camelot, you just wouldn't notice if he wasn't completely shirtless.

"Without your magic?" Dean muttered pulling his own shirt over his head and throwing it to Cas, "Just, let me handle it" with that he waded into the water. It swam at his knees for a short while before he dove into the freezing water, unsettling its surrounds.

"Prat" Merlin cursed, plucking his shirt from the ground.

"Don't worry, Dean will find it" Cas took stance beside Merlin who haphazardly wrenched over his rather slender frame. Dean was also well-built like Arthur, and like him, carved out in scars throughout his skin. A strange palm-shaped boil hung like a badge on his shoulder.

"Is he always like that?" Cas shuffled between his feet, unsure what to do with the piece of fabric he had been thrown.

"Yes" Merlin nodded, his lower lip jutting out in a pout, "But he has a good heart, I'm sure you understand"

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"Father!" the halls doors blew past the Prince's feet as the crowd of advisors and a large number of the royal court took to whispers.

"Arthur, what are you doing out of bed?" he waited for the audience to dissipate and the large wooden door to be pulled to a close behind them.

"I've heard, the beast has attacked the lower village - I must go and slay it"

"You need your rest, let the knights do as they were trained" Uther tapped a consoling hand on his son's uninjured shoulder before turning back to the territory charts sprawled on the table.

"I am not a coward; I will not be made to seem as one!" He cried at his father's back, who seemed keen on dismissing the matter quickly.

"No one would dare call you as such! I would see them hang" he called over his shoulder, "You are still unfit to fight, retire to your bed chambers and rest"

"I cannot, not while my knights fight" Arthur's words were harsh; his anger blanketed the air as the King turned to his son.

"Then you leave me no choice" he cupped his hands forward to the two men at the door posts, "Guards! Take him to his room, and make sure he stays there" Two men wrapped themselves around his biceps and dragged him to the door.

"No! Unhand me! Unhand! Me!"

"Hey Castiel?" Merlin nudged a branch in the open fire. Wary of the great presense he was sitting beside, he had wondered before how he hadn't noticed the energy pouring between them both.

"Yes?" Cas's eyes were mesmerised in the fire, it was beautiful, created at the hands of magic, a slither of God's power handed to select few who were hunted down on this plain. Cas had tried to watch the dark times, but it was that for a reason, where most of the angels had turned their backs on the humans and allowed them to plunder under their own influence.

"If you two are from the future, do you know what will happen to us?" Merlin thought over his words, "I mean, is there a future where Arthur knows? About me?" C

"The future we know is vastly changed, disrupted by our arrival" Cas twisted the fabric between his fingertips, "I do not know if or when…" Merlin sat back, shutting Cas's words out of mind before they became dry in his throat. Cas watched Merlin, he shoulder had dropped at the answer he was clearly not asking for, a pang of hurt filled Jimmy's chest as Cas began again, "Arthur will know one day, and when that day comes, I'm sure he will be prepared" he finished. Merlin's smile pulled half of his cheek.

"I hope so"

"Got it!" Weapon raised high, Dean treaded the icy water. Thrusting it under one arm he swam back to the lake's edge where Cas and Merlin had sat and waited.

"You found it!" Merlin beamed, relief compelling him to his feet.

"You sound surprised" Dean smiled back, throwing the run from his hair.

"See?" Cas muttered to Merlin, as Dean rose out of the water, his jeans seeped with foam, mud and weeds.

"See what?"He looked to Cas who, for first time in a long while, was smiling. It was a strange feeling, a sense of pride that filled Dean's chest. For a place that was more or less empty between the crap he usually had to deal with, was warm. Instinct told him to protect that, not quite like the way he had to protect Sam or Bobby. Even with the power from the heavens, Cas was just more fragile, even more so when he smiled, "Hey, Cas-"

"Now we must fetch Arthur; only he can wield the sword" Dean's hand clenched the handle of the golden blade, swearing he could feel its power course through him and sympathize in anger.

"What? Why?"

"Ah, it only responds to him" Merlin's tongue clicked the side of his mouth, flicking off the lies that seemed to get easier in telling, "It's part of the enchantment"

"Come on, this is bull-crap!" Dean threw the sword at Merlin's feet, before grabbing his shirt from Cas's shivering hands, "He gets the sword of death so, what are we gunna use?"

"What else can harm a Chimera?" Merlin went for the sword, pulling it close. His scarf abandoned his neck and was made to clean the blade free of grass.

"Steel, it won't kill it…" Dean sighed, pulling the bridge of his nose, "But it'll do some damage"

"Then you'll be needing armour"

Merlin grinned to each of the guards as he awkwardly shuffled past them, his basket full of be linen, neither made a move to stop him. Pulling the door closed, he found Arthur sitting alone on the window ledge, reading.

"What's with the knights?" he whispered; his back to the closed door.

"My father doesn't wish me to fight" Arthur thumbed the page mindlessly as he stared out over the courtyard. Small hooves filled air but none of which he could see. Merlin abandoned the pile of sheets at the end of his bed.

"But you're going to" the book slammed shut as he came to look Merlin in the eye, annoyance exacerbated in his own reflection in them.

"Of course _Mer_lin!" he watched as Merlin ran the fabric between his nimble hands, "Now find me a way out of here!"

"Ah well," Merlin knotted two ends together before walking smartly past the Prince; he gestured below the window where a horse and cart lay waiting. The cart lay full with hay as two guards stood by in watch. Dean looked up at them, the Prince was clearly annoyed at the escape plan and he smirked in approval.

"I'm not jumping!" he hissed at Merlin, who looked a little offended.

"I haven't got enough sheets!" Merlin whined as Arthur growled at him, they both bent out to estimate the distance; it was only a few floors down, "Would you like me to push you, sire?" Arthurs face rumpled up in annoyance, of course this was the only escape his manservant could think of. He'd be sure to have him muck out the stables again when they returned.

"You first!" he muffled as he rolled his servant over the window ledge.

"Wait no! Arth-"

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"I can't believe you pushed me!" Merlin cried, brushing stray sprigs of straw from his fringe. The four had ducked past the guards and had made their way into the forest walls, just beyond the lower village.

"Are you still whining? You lived!" Arthur moaned back, swatting his leathered glove across the back of Merlin's head. Together they strode deeper into the woods, a beast that size would find a dark place to hide in daylight, perhaps a cave on the other side of the mountain, Arthur reasoned.

"Perhaps he does not like the fact you didn't trust him, sire" Arthur reminded himself of the other two guards who accompanied them, seemingly unaware he was supposed to be bedridden and confined to his chambers at the behest of their heads on a spit.

"And who are you?"

"He's my… assistant" Dean called, pulling Cas around the neck, "My lord… God I hate sayin' that,"

"You…" Arthur squinted at Dean's face; a nagging sense of pride gnawed his heart. Pulling his blade from his belt he waved it briskly around in a circle.

"They are…"exchanging an edgy glance Merlin reeled, "Hunters; they know how to kill the Chimera"

"Really?" Arthur smiled flatly at both of them, folding his sword back into its scabbard, "Well my sincerest apologises your services will not be required as I shall handling it by myself" he called, pushing through some of the thicker bushes, "Come along Merlin"

Dean shoved past Merlin, grabbing Arthur by the shoulder and jerked him around. His back flying awry before being pinned to a tree by Dean's firm hand.

"Well my sincerest apologises your royal Jack-ass, but we don't work for you and you can't stop us" his finger hovered inches away from Arthur's face. Merlin watched on, spells battered about his head in case Dean tried to clock him in the face.

"You can't talk to me like that!" Arthur hissed, drawing his sword once more. He led the blade into Dean's shoulder on the arm that had him restrained; one well placed blow would see it cut off.

"Arthur-" Merlin warned as Dean slowly raised his hands.

"Look, we just want to help" Arthur stared his opponent up and down; strong in the body and fast, he could rival any of his knights, if not for his cheek and downright precarious attitude. Muffling something of thought he pushed Dean aside.

"You wish to die? So be it"


	6. Chapter 6

Geez how do you guys wear this stuff, it's so freaking heavy!" Dean shuffled in the chainmail that hung lose over his body, waving it off like an invisible enemy.

"I didn't know hunters were such whiney, little girls" a grin crept the corner of Arthurs lips as he spat his words. Merlin shook his head, Arthur was in full Knight-holier-than-thou mind space, and it was going to get him nowhere, except beaten about.

"I really wanna kick his smug ass"

"Dean" his name crossed an attempt to be soothing and a mild warning from Cas's lips "He is royalty" Dean sneered at the back of the Prince's head. Mouthing various curse words at the golden head in front of him, the little snot-nosed punk had no idea what they were up against. Betting in his head the most supernatural thing the Prince had seen was probably a candle being blown out by the wind.

"Yeah but that doesn't mean he gets a 'get out of jail free card' for being a dick"

"So how do we kill this beast?" Arthur called. Dean sighed his anger aside, sweeping it under that heavy rug of his mind where his emotions were kept under close lock.

"With this" Dean pulled the blade from his side where it had been bound in leather for the time being. After fishing it from the lake, Dean had been entrusted with the swords' keep as Merlin busted the Prince from his plush chamber cell. Now as he held it in both hands, he could feel a surge of power flow between them.

"A sword will only wound it, but not kill" Arthur mocked incredulously, disdainful at the scintillating gold. Pride nodded it down, but it was beautiful in Arthur's eyes, desire wanted him to grab the hilt and weigh it in his hands.

"But this is an…" Merlin shook his head vigorously, convicting Dean to think of a better explanation, "This is a double-fold steel sword, sire. Infused with so much steel the bastard will be spittin' it to his grave" Arthur cringed at the strange phrasing of crude words. He had never heard of such a sword, and the shake in the man's voice had him chary of the truth in them.

"I see"

Merlin offered his empty hands forward, modelling for Dean to do the same.

"Here" Dean said bitterly, nudging the hilt to Arthur's hand. Repulsively a palm aimed to push it away.

"No, that is your weapon" Arthur stared at the blade, jutting a chin ward and folded his arms across his chest as if not to test his temptation.

"And now I'm giving it to you" Dean pushed it back into place, it was obvious by the Prince's expression, he was interested in the sword, but he was battling his pride, which was pushing it aside.

"Is the haft poisoned?" he squinted at Dean who just scowled in returned frustration.

"Look would you just take it already?!" thrusted forward, Arthur accepted it hesitantly. Rolling it in his hand, it fit and balanced well; the weight was perfect, like it had been made for him. Dean pulled him in by a friendly crooked elbow to the neck, so only the two could hear, "Look, a little birdie told me," Dean's eyes flicked to Merlin, who flushed to the ears, "That you're the best swordsman in all of Albion" Arthur nodded slow as he followed the sidelong gesticulation.

"Thank you"

"Don't mention it" Dean smiled, slapping him hard on his injured shoulder, accidentally on purpose. There was some sweet satisfaction in hearing the young prince yelp in pain.


	7. Chapter 7

"Shhh!" Arthur hissed as the air shifted between the four. The woods had grown silent for far too long and the fog had lay heavy between the trees. Silently Arthur pulled his new sword from its hilt and swung it once, taking his lead, Dean mirrored his actions.

A whipping crack from above echoed throughout the bodies of the four as the beast came crashing from above it wings spread wide, knocking the branches like twigs out of its way. Three bobbing heads ducked into view; Goat, Lion with the flickering tail of a serpent bound to a pair of colossal wings.

"Get back!" Dean called as the beast came into landing in front of the pack. Without hesitation or heed to Dean's warning, charged forth unto the beast carving his way. Sparring between teeth and nail, his sword finessed through blocking and ducking until he could land a clear shot. Dean smirked; the man was as fast on the field as he was with his tongue; pride couldn't allow him all the glory. Dean jumped forward, the tools in hand were foreign but he could offer the perfect distraction. The goat caught him in the eye and made to butt, Dean cursed as he dove to the floor. The goat charged overhead as Dean scrambled after his weapon. With a flick he rolled over and sank his blade into the underside of its neck. The goats cry was loud and sick as Dean twisted it deep into the skin. "One down, two to go"

"Not bad" Arthur huffed breathless.

"Not bad yourself" Dean nodded in return as the Roar of the lion boomed fierce. Their faces dropped eyes wide on the massive beast as something flicked out of the corner of Deans view. "Duck!" he howled as the serpent knocked Arthur aside, into a tree.

"Arthur!" Merlin cried sliding to his side.

"Shit! Cas what do we do?" Dean hissed, shuffling back. The Chimera had become enraged by the loss of one of its heads and was roaring on its hind legs.

"Get down!" A hand grabbed his shoulder, as Cas eyed the beast unafraid.

"Save your angel juice, we'll figure this out without it" the beast came crashing down, pawing the ground for an opponent.

"But Dean-" Dean yanked his shoulder back shifted his stance in front of Cas.

"I can't watch you hurt yourself! Just stay out of it!" he called, but the Chimera wasn't eyeing them. It growled low at the pair on the floor a few feet away.

"Merlin!" Dean called as the serpent flicked at them, keeping Dean at a distance "Hey I've got more meat than he does, come and get it!" The serpent flicked and hissed in his face. He waved his sword but it danced in the air around him. Left, right, right, up, there! With a swift slice of his sword the head rolled to the ground at his feet. The Lion roared at the severance, raising high on his legs, "No!" Dean cried as the Lion pounced on the both of them.

"Ástríce!" The word resonated in white light laced with gold as the beast froze for a moment. The light hushed, dying as quickly as it had come. The warmth of the spell radiated through Dean like a warm breeze. The Beast recoiled, slowly swaying before collapsing on its side. Dust swept them over as the body settled in the dirt.

"Merlin?!" Dean heaved, breathless "Arthur?!"

Jumping hastily over the limbs of the beast he rounded to find a single blade standing from the massive chest, gleaming gold; Excalibur. He breathed a sigh as he found the pair held close, Merlin's gaze planted on the Prince's.

Merlin yanked off the orange handkerchief hung loosely around his neck and proceeded to dab it on Arthur crown, stripping it of the soil and sweat that seeped his hair.

"Arthur?" gently he propped up with his knees, "Arthur!" he hissed a little gentler, scouring the man's face for a response. His jaw tightened as his master lay still in his lap "Now listen here, Dollophead. I need you to get up, you hear me?" Merlin fought the urge to slap him across the face, "If you don't I will muck out your stables and hide it under your bed, and you will never know because without me your room would always smell like that" forcing a smile on his face he waited. Seconds passed dragging like hours as Merlin's face dropped as he gently placed his palm to the Princes face, sweeping some of the dirt from under his eye. "I'm telling you, you've got to wake up, you've got to become the greatest King Camelot has ever known" cursing, Merlin could feel the prickle of tears forming at the back of his eyes, "Listen, if you don't get up I will never get to tell you…" unsure how to end it, the words died on his lips, "Just, please Arthur"

"Oh man, those two again" Dean sighed, pushing the dirt away from the sweat of his own brow. Cas trudged to his side, thankfully unscathed.

"What?"

"What? You don't see it?" Dean harshly replaced his sword by his side, "I feel sorry for them" Cas frowned, if anything he imagined the sight to be a touching one. No finer love or loyalty had ever been written, seen by heaven or Earth. What could be so repellent about such a beautiful thing?

"Why?"

"He's a prince; he's a servant and, well… A he" Cas pinched his eyebrows repulsively, he had never thought of him to be petty over details, in fact Dean often glorified over missing the finer points of a plan. Much like the time Anna and Dean spent together, he had forgotten she was an angel, a fallen angel at that and she was being hunted by the numerous garrisons but nonetheless made the time for 'Cloud seeding' as he would call it.

"Profound bonds can't be broken that easily Dean" "not by something so meagre"

"Meagre? Your saying gender is meagre?" Cas shot a glance at Dean that made him shuffle where he stood.

"Yes"

Dean pursed his lips, signalling for Cas to continue, "Love is written, not by God or Cupid as many like to think" his deep eyes searched out the two only a few feet away. Cradling the Prince in his lap, Merlin's thumb softly caressed the young Prince's cheek, his head bowed to look his master and friend in the eye. "In the time I watched the Earth, in the time you evolved, things changed, you grew but one principle stayed constant. Love is not shape, size or gender-bound" Cas was almost growling, allowing a simmering anger radiate through his vessel, "It is raw, painful, and brutal but also…. Beautiful." He took time to allow his control to be called before turning back to Dean, "I also know there is not and never will be anything else like it as it is the one thing that defines all of you and makes you human" Dean stood still, vigilant, he had never heard Cas almost ramble on like this and it had had taken him aback, "But what am I to make of human emotions, I'm just an Angel" Dean swallowed hard and ducked his head at the weight of Cas's words, at a loss for something to counter. By God, Cas understood more of what being a human meant than Dean did. Finally his pride settled, crushed as he raised his head to look Cas in the eye.

"No, you're better than that"

Cas marched away as Dean watched the sight; The Arthurs eyes were fluttering, as small groans fled his lips. "Profound bond huh?" the gravel voice repeated the words in whispers in his ears, like an old song. Saying his goodbyes under his breath he followed after Cas whose trench coat disintegrated to ash. Merlin looked on as Dean took his stride, and like his companion disappeared from sight within a blink.

"Subtle aren't they?" small coughs replaced laughter as Merlin turned back to the man in his arms. Arthurs eyes flexed open as Merlin smiled in his relief.

"What?" he replied breathlessly. Arthur tried to sit forward, laying in a servants arms soured his dignity somewhat but the ache in his ribs stifled his muscles.

"He fancies, whatever that other peasants name is" he waved a hand as he released himself back into Merlin's arms, deciding he wasn't being held, merely propped up. Merlin beamed down at him, with the same big dopey grin Arthur had come to expect of his manservant.

"You noticed that?" he whispered, gently pulling his hand away from its resting spot.

"What do you mean by that? Of course, I noticed! It's obvious! The way they look at each other" Arthur took his moment to sit up ignoring the singing his ribcage was doing, he would have to ask Gaius for some salve when they got returned. "Where are they anyway?"

Merlin shifted his glance back to where the men had disintegrated and pulled his knees to his chest.

"You're saying you don't mind?" he mumbled, ignoring the question. Arthur furrowed his brow as he swung around to sit opposite his manservant. Small movements were all he could manage for now.

"Why should I? It's not my life" pain whistled through his words. Merlin refused the impulse to heal his friend, his magic thrummed beneath his fingertips. Instead he checked the wound, he knew there would only be bruising but he would have to check his head later. It was a safe excuse to touch his Prince, a small indulgence whenever he dressed or undressed his friend. Fleeting moments, of course, otherwise he would swear his heart beat would be heard through half of Camelot.

"So, you're saying if it was your life-"he fumbled with the chainmail, his face souring as he realised he would have to repair it when they returned. Refusing to meet it, he was wary of the Arthurs stare digging into his face, searching for something.

"I know what you're getting at Merlin" he could hear the smirk dripping off his words, snapping to attention. Cas had seen right through Merlin at first glance, Arthur was dim of that there was no doubt but that last question might have-

"No you don't" he spat.

"Yes, I think I do" Arthur hummed; his habit of teasing his manservant always gave way to his chivalry. It was something Arthur often found he could neither control nor repress.

"No you certainly don't" Merlin snapped, lightly punching Arthur in the ribs, causing the Prince to wince in pain.

"Your ears are red!" he chortled, holding his torso. Once he the pain yielded he punched Merlin on the arm, hard.

"They are not!" he hissed, rubbing his shoulder.

"As red as wine!"Arthur smiled, ruffling his manservant's hair.

"Get off! Clotpole!" swatting the hand away he could help the smile that betrayed his words. Arthur sat back, allowing the warmth settle in his chest.

"He is very lucky, whoever he is"

"Yes, he certainly is, he just doesn't know it" Merlin's eyebrows raised to the stars as a few moments passed in silence. Suddenly he made the move to stand, brushing himself off, "We should get back - let Gaius have a look at-"Before he could register his movements, Arthur reached out roughly grabbing Merlin's wrist before he could move away.

Acting on instinct alone he pulled hard, quickly dragging Merlin back into his lap. Caught in wide eyed shock, Arthur pressed his lips firmly into Merlin's; chaste and soft. Reeling from the few seconds, his heart and brain coming to complete halt; Merlin froze.

A demanding nip at his lower lip pushed Merlin's thoughts aside, allowing the swell of his repressed love to consume him. Lips moving slowly, he melted into it, chasing after the warmth that spread like fire under his skin. He could taste the smirk in the corner of Arthur's mouth when a small groan escaped Merlin's lips. Out of the corner of his mind he could feel a gloved hand cup his cheek, its thumb rolling in small circles. The sensation spurred him on, feverish in a hunger he couldn't fight except for the struggling urge to breathe. Pulling away regretful, the sight that greeted him made him hungrier. Arthurs lips were pink and raw, much like his own. Taking a few moments he drank up the image until his brain finally started to focus "What was that for?" Arthur smiled before raising his eyebrows in earnest.

"I am not a dollophead"

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One more step saw him them the coast of the lake, the mountains had separated and a beaten black pole lay in ruins on the horizon. The nippy breeze swept them both of the night air that hung on them in the morning sun.

"Where are we?" Dean's eyed his friend who stood immobile beside him.

"Good to see you again" a gruff voice sounded anything but welcoming as his words inferred. Dean shot a glance to his left, beside Cas where an old man donned in a worn beanie and coat sat still on the bench overlooking the view. His sun spotted fingers curled tighter around his cane. Dean looked to see who he was addressing but there was nobody in sight but the three. "Did you know?" Cas dropped his head from the sight of the horizon as licked the corner of his lips cautiously in thought.

"I'm sorry"

A dry crackled laugh escaped the old man's bearded mouth.

"Well I can't say that you lied, but you didn't exactly tell me the truth either" Dean sneered, he was sure he had never seen the man before in his life, but by the way he was talking, Cas had clearly done something to piss this guy off. Dean frowned he had figured most of the time Cas spent on Earth was with him and Sam, so who was this guy?

"The dragon was right to warn me about you"

"I'm sorry" Cas repeated, not raising his head from the grass at his feet, a hand had found its way to lean on the back of the bench. A weak sign of comfort, something any angel other than Cas, Dean assumed, would be incapable of doing.

"Is that all you can say?" seething rage simmered in the mans' voice as the cane shivered in the man's hand, clearly unsure whether to use it to bludgeon the angel or not, "I watched him die, in my arms… Do you know what that's like? And you had the chance, the chance to warn me-"

"It was your destiny, as it was his" Cas's words were firm and alarmingly calm.

"Destiny? Now that's a sick joke" a bitter laugh punctuated the man's rage as the shaking subsided, "'One day he shall rise again'…. You were right, Love is brutal, raw and painful" he said, almost as if he were talking to himself, absentminded of the company beside him, "And that's all it will ever be… " he shuffled forward on his cane, wobbling beneath the weigh as he shoved past Cas, head still bowed.

"What was that about?" Dean hissed as he watched the hunch of the old man slip away. A small tip of orange hung from his pocket as he shuffled up the grassy hillside.

"Wait, is that…?" the fabric patted the brow of the prince in Deans eyes as he recalled the thing bony boy from a few moments ago. He looked to Cas, of course only moments to them was hundreds of years for the world surrounding them, "But how?"

"He isn't human Dean" Cas muttered.

"And Arthur?" a pained look tinged Cas's eyes as he turned back to the lake before them. Heaviness, like sand, filled Dean's lungs.

"You have to understand Dean" Cas talked out to the horizon as the winds around them picked up, "Such profound bonds, like destiny, are never broken, not by space or time or even by death. You, yourself have proved that many times, with your brother and Bobby-"

"But I had you, he doesn't"

"I understand what you were trying to say and I can, despite what you may think…Sympathize"

"With who?" Dean followed Cas's glance to the man slowly shuffling away, "Really?" Dean scoffed in disbelief as Cas watched as the man continue upward in a slow pace, like he had done every single day for the past century.

"He has lived an eternity, and he will spend the greater part of it, waiting much longer than that" he swallowed hard before clearing throat, "waiting, for the one thing that he would exchange his entire existence for"

"Him? Or you?" Dean's pained gaze seemed to choke the air from Cas's lungs, and was equally painful to look at. He took to the grass at his feet and decided the conversation there would be an easier way to answer that question.

"Dean, I-" a grip held his coat tight by two fist fulls which brought Cas's attention back up to eye level. An intrusion of personal space pressed Dean's lips forcefully on Cas's own. He had seen this practise many times but this state had him in alarm he reasoned as his heart was in his ears and blood flushed his cheeks. He had only a moment to compose himself before there were movements, Cas faltered. He had no idea what Dean was doing but he trusted in his lead. Slowly he fell into them, small bites and fighting breaths, it was like a warm game that had somehow melting around Dean's every whim. Somehow, no matter the situation, Cas often found himself in that position, but like this moment, he found that he didn't mind.

"Arthur?" the cry came loud and croaked, careful. "ARTHUR!"

Dean pulled away to follow the man's gaze from the hill, a silhouette in the swells stepped forward. Dean looked back to Merlin, his form shivering and fading, skin falling like dust off his shoulders as his black hair grew through. Within a heartbeat he was back to his younger self, bounding down into the crests of the lake. A smile piqued the corner of Dean's face as the boy dove into the young prince's garb, grabbing him close for a tight embrace.

"Did you do that?" Dean smiled meekly at Cas, proud crinkles in the corners of his eyes. Cas took a moment to come to his senses. Kissing had looked silly, messy and unhygienic but it carried an oddly exhilarating quality.

"Your faith in me is astounding" he muttered. Over his shoulder, small sobs between laughter filled the air, "Prayer, loyalty and love, do not do unrewarded"

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Dean sighed as he turned back to find the beat down hotel he had left three days earlier. If there was ever a time things had felt like home, this would have probably been it. Marching over to the small fridge under the bench he smirked pulling one of the few chilled beers from it. Out of the corner of his mind he heard the shower stop as he popped open the top and took a swig. Turning back he found his brother, gaping, dressed in one of the hotel towels.

"You're back! How was the trip?" he asked a little surprised. Dean raised his beer to him before taking a seat at the small wiry table just in front of them.

"Uh, it was… rewarding" Dean smirked, but not after checking he had been followed. Cas often disappeared after long missions, probably to go and recharge his angel juice. Either way, it wasn't like him to kiss and tell, well, not when the other party is listening anyway.

"Dean you just spaced out on me, where have you been the past three days?" Sam hissed as he took the seat opposite, leaning over the heavy amount of paperwork that had piled up since Dean had left. Dean sneered, he had been exactly where he had been supposed to be.

"The Chimera? Ring any bells?" It was Sam's turn to look confused

"Chimera? What's a Chimera? Dean you're not making any sense! Where were you?" A chill filled the room as a small gust of wind shuffled the papers on the table. The trench-coated figure slumped into the room, his wary form swaying slightly.

"Cas!" Dean cried, the little smile withered away at the sight of his friend, if anything he looked tired, if angels could get tired. He quickly stood up, not sure what his next move was going to be but Cas seemed to understand and waved lightly for him to sit down again. "What's going on? Why doesn't he remember anything?"

"It's a paradox, we went back and killed the Chimera so it doesn't exist in this time, and in turn Sam wouldn't remember it"

"Paradox? 'Went back'? So what, you time travelled?" Sam's gaze flicked between the two of them, his words betraying his scepticism. Neither made the move to answer as Sam studied them carefully. Dean had been acting a little weird since Cas's entrance, and now he couldn't stop fidgeting, "So what happened?"

"You're are a history nerd; get this-"Dean sat forward, tossing a thumb between himself and Cas, "We met King Arthur"

"From the Arthurian legends? What was he like?"

"Total dick." Dean sat back in his chair, kicking his feet up.

"Wait so if you met Arthur you must've seen Merlin" Sam beamed, he remembered a few of the folklores, reading them between hunts from the local libraries when they travelled together with their dad.

"Yep, nice guy. Totally digging the Prince" Dean smirked as he took another swig from his beer, but not without noticing the look of disgust on his younger brothers face.

"Wait isn't he…?" he waved a hand over his beard, willing it to elongate. "Old?"

"No…Yes, it complicated…He's immortal and as of this morning the prince has risen again" Dean beamed a small chuckle escaping his lips. He shot a happy glance at Cas who did anything but reciprocate the gesture.

"What?" Sam scowled, "Dean that can't be good"

"Come on! Look Merlin has been waiting his whole life to have him back and bada bing we got to see the magic happen"

"No Dean I mean, Arthur would only rise again when he was needed most, like the country was facing a state of survival" the smile died on Deans lips, "Your time jump may have brought back something bigger than we think Dean"

"This is my fault" Cas finally chimed in, his voice heavy like gravel "I caused much pain and suffering and I wanted to repay some of the kindness Merlin showed us" Dean stared at his friend, his jaw tightened as he fought the instincts wanting to reach out to him. Clearly the discussion on the lake had taken its toll.

"That may not be all true Cas, he wouldn't have risen unless he was absolutely vital… Meaning that this was no accident."


End file.
